At the end of last year, smack dab in the middle of the holidays, Tri-Cen and MAL, I was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer. What the fuck! As Sue Sylvester would say, it was a real kick in the taco.
I had surgery at the end of February, but a lot of people in my life didn’t know it was happening. After I got finished telling my huge Irish Catholic family — 27 including in-laws — I was just sick of talking about it, to be honest. Plus I was scared out of my mind and in no condition to help people process the news. Every time I explained how the thyroid works and where the cancer might have come from and what my chances were, I could feel a little more wind draining out of my sails until there was hardly any left. So I stopped talking about it.
I kept my spirits up as best as I could and tried to keep up with everything at work and around the house, but in reality, I was a mess. Thank God for my husband, Mike. I never would have gotten through it without him. Looking back now, I realize I was barely keeping it together for almost the entire first half of 2010. It felt like I would never escape from that fucking cancer.
Well, last week I had my six-month check-up and the doctor gave me the all-clear. They got everything out and right now there’s no sign of it coming back. I’ll have to go in for periodic ultrasounds to keep tabs on things, and since I no longer have a thyroid gland to call my own, I have to take meds every day for the rest of my life, but I’m not complaining. I feel like the luckiest man on earth.
As crappy as it all was, the experience brought a lot of clarity into my life. There’s nothing like a cancer diagnosis to show you what’s important in life (family and friends) and what’s a big fat waste of time (politics and gossip). So this month’s picture for the article is of my husband and me while we were camping in July in Maine. If you ever get the chance, you should go. It’s simply beautiful up there.
And wouldn’t you know it, we arrived at Acadia National Park the same weekend that the First Family was there. Thankfully this time, we didn’t get anywhere near them so there was no repeat of the misadventures I had with Homeland Security during President Obama’s Inauguration in Washington, D.C.
BEARS ON LIBERTY WEEKEND
The Liberty Bears are once again bringing a host of hot, furry men to town in celebration of “Bears on Liberty Weekend 8: Magic Balls.”
The fun starts Oct. 14 with early registration and a meet-and-greet at the Loews Hotel, 1200 Market St. On Oct. 15, registration continues at happy hour, followed by a bar crawl and a sexy bear and beard contest. Saturday starts with breakfast, then an optional tour of Philly. After dinner on Saturday night, they’ll kick off their signature Bearapalooza concert, followed by DJ David Gerlitzki at Voyeur and late-night fun in the Hospitality Suite. Sunday will feature brunch, afternoon football at The Bike Stop and finally WOOF Philly at The Gold Club.
All this and more surprises for only $115, and if you register before Sept. 26, you get a free T-shirt! Please see the Liberty Bears website (www.libertybears.net) for full details on exactly which events are included with registration and which are add-ons.
BOOTLUST!
The Keystone boys of Leather are back with “Bootlust 3.0: Time for an Upgrade!” If you want to help the hottest boys in town get up to all sorts of trouble, don’t miss this awesome party, 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Sept. 18 at The Bike Stop. Yes, that’s this weekend! Get geared up and get out there!
CLUBS & EVENTS:
KEYSTONE BOYS OF LEATHER Meetings every third Thursday, 7:30 p.m. at The Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St. Bootlust 3.0, from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Sept. 18 Super Villain/Super Hero party, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Oct. 23 at The Bike Stop www.keystoneboysofleather.org
LIBERTY BEARS Meetings (7-8 p.m.) and socials (8 p.m.-midnight) first Saturdays at The Bike Stop Bears on Liberty Weekend, Oct. 15-17 www.libertybears.net or www.bearsonlibertyweekend.com
PHILADELPHIANS MC Meetings every first Monday, 7:30 p.m. at The Bike Stop OutFest Social, 9 p.m.-midnight Oct. 9 Tri-Cen XX, Dec. 31-Jan. 2, www.philadelphiansmc.org or www.tricen20.com.
LAID 11 p.m. Saturday Sept. 18 at Sansom Street Gym. www.laidsaturdays.com
WOOF! PHILLY Every Sunday at 5 p.m. at 1416 Chancellor St., www.woofphilly.com.
Questions? Comments? Contact Jim at [email protected].
